I’M WORKING HARD IN THE GYM, BUT NO RESULTS … WHY?
We all know the great benefits we get from strength training.
Whether you’re trying to increase strength, bone mass, lose weight, fight cardiovascular disease, or just improve your overall physical and mental health, strength training can be the one-stop-shop to improve your quality of life.
But can you do too much of it?
Heck ya. Overtraining is definitely a thing.
In fact, it’s so much of a thing that the term overtraining syndrome (OTS) has officially been coined. And it can actually cause the opposite effect you are trying to achieve.
WHAT ACTUALLY IS OVERTRAINING SYNDROME
The National Academy of Sports Medicine has described OTS as a condition in which an athlete or fitness client experiences fatigue, declining performance, and burnout.
Other symptoms could include mood changes, acute or chronic injuries, frequent illness, elevated blood pressure and resting heart rate, difficulty sleeping, and constant muscle soreness.
We have all experienced the feeling after an intense workout. Soreness, fatigue, stiffness can be felt after an intense session especially if a new variable has been introduced like a new program with new variations, more volume, more resistance.
It could last a few hours or even a few days, but after a bit of recovery and refueling time, you should feel energized, strong, motivated and ready to tackle the next session.
Symptoms of OTS, however, last longer than a few days and can vary.
HOW TO IDENTIFY OVERTRAINING SYNDROME
So are those negative feelings you might be having truly OTS?
Many life factors could be affecting you, not just your training. But training could exacerbate an underlying condition.
To help identify this, ask yourself the questions:
• Are you have difficulty sleeping?
• Has your resting heart been elevated?
• Have you been depriving yourself of enough good nutrients and fluids?
• Are you battling major life stress?
If the answers to these questions are “no” then you are ready to take on your next session with proper adjustments.
If the answers are “yes”, you may need to make major adjustments to your routine and tune in to how you’re recovering.
HOW TO FIGHT OVERTRAINING SYNDROME
If these negative signs of OTS last weeks, rest and recovery must take place.
But that doesn’t mean avoiding activity in general.
Light activities like walking or workouts that focus on mobility and recovery should be done and are recommended.
I know when I feel sluggish due to lack of sleep or stress, I adjust my workout routine to include more active recovery. I lean more on movements that focus on self-myofascial release, corrective exercises, mobility, and light muscular activation.
And when it comes to my personal training clients, if I notice any signs of OTS, asking them those simple questions I noted previously is key, and reassessing the program and tracking their body composition data will allow me to adjust for the situation.
These simple steps can be enough to overcome OTS and reinvigorate the body to get back to feeling strong, energized, and ready to take on life.
Bottom line, if your workouts aren’t moving the needle or, worst case scenario, are actually having an opposite effect to what you want, take a step back and reassess things.
And if you need help finding the roadblock or obstacle, let us know. It’s what we at Functional Elements do!
Remember … GIVE YOUR BODY WHAT IT NEEDS, WHEN IT NEEDS IT!
Tony Muyco III, CSCS, PPSC, PPSC*KB, CFSC
Functional Elements Training and Nutrition
TRAIN FOR LIFE
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